329 - Celes's Laughter
"Shannon!"
Miranda's heartbroken scream echoed through the Audience Chamber, but it was cut off by an explosion as the fangs of a beast—a mass of mana with no lower half—sank into Shannon.
Smoke and dust danced through the Audience Chamber, and visibility continued to worsen. On the ceiling, as if gravity had been reversed, Celes stood upside down relative to us.
Her hair hung down, but she didn't look as if she were gripping the ceiling.
"Kyahahahaha! Look, look, look! The first one is dead. If you don't hurry, they'll keep dying one by one!"
As Celes brandished her rapier and staff, another beast made of yellow glowing magic was unleashed. The magic, which lunged toward us with its forelegs, was capable of both tracking us and dodging our attacks.
I glanced at where Shannon had been.
I confirmed Miranda collapsing.
I couldn't see Miranda's eyes because of her helmet and hair, but I was satisfied since I could see her mouth.
Looking up at Celes, I readied my bow, and an arrow of light appeared.
Just as the number of arrows matched the number of magic beasts Celes had unleashed, I fired.
"I told you, doing that wouldn't work."
As Celes brandished her rapier, Glacia and Eliza fired magic at the ceiling. Celes, running across the ceiling, dodged their magic with a lighter step than before. Perhaps to destroy my arrows of light, raining flames poured down.
However—.
"—Shannon, you can see it, right? Guide them."
When I called Shannon's name, she appeared right behind Miranda. As the smoke cleared, Miranda stopped pretending to collapse in tears and threw a dagger.
The thrown dagger and the arrow of light I fired.
"...I'm actually a bit creeped out. Knowing I'm right next to her and still being able to scream and cry like that... I'm seriously creeped out."
"Shannon, how cruel to your own sister. You'll pay for this!"
Seeing Miranda's smile, Shannon let out a small gasp from her throat.
With Shannon, who was creeped out by Miranda's acting, acting as the guide.
"Warp."
I slammed each of them into Celes's magic. The beasts exploded. Seeing Celes's eyes widen, I laughed on purpose. Yes, I laughed to provoke her.
If I didn't—the Third Head's skill wouldn't succeed. The Third Head's skill, used to strike at a gap in the heart, is more successful when the opponent's psychological state is disturbed.
In other words, that's why I had been provoking her all along.
"What's wrong? Did you think you'd won? Don't tell me you actually believed it?"
I had set it up so she would react that way, but saying it like this would be more effective for Celes. Celes becomes enraged when looked down upon by me.
And there was a reason for bringing Shannon along.
"You piece of scum!!!"
Shannon shouted toward Celes, whose brow was deeply furrowed in rage.
"She switched! She's casting a different spell. One that'll blow this whole place away!"
What the flustered Shannon wanted to say was that Celes had switched skills. And she was about to launch a magical attack. Moreover, it was an attack with the momentum to blow away the Audience Chamber—since we were connected via Connection, there was no need for explanations to everyone.
As yellow light appeared from Celes's body, we gathered in one place. I moved behind the Porter, and the Porter took a defensive stance.
Clara spoke matter-of-factly.
"This Porter has already been given magic-resistant treatment. Additionally, there is magic ore embedded in its chest—"
Hiding behind the Porter, who had crossed its massive arms, we also deployed Magic Shields.
"Shut up!!!"
Celes's words drowned out Clara, whose explanation was cut off. However, a large Magic Shield deployed in front of the Porter blocked the attack that seemed poised to blow everything away with magic.
I thought it was an attack that would blow everything away, but it was actually a series of thin attacks of mana unleashed across the entire area.
Since the Audience Chamber itself had been given magic-resistant treatment, everything wasn't blown away, but it certainly ended up in a terrible state.
While the walls and pillars were riddled with holes, we were safe.
Ludmila stepped out from in front of the Porter and rested her sword on her shoulder.
"Powerful. But did she choose not to blow it all away, or was she unable to...?"
Seeing Celes react slightly, Shannon shouted.
"She can't blow it away! Celes can't blow up this castle! Her mana wavered in response at the start, so there's no doubt!"
I heard something interesting. For some reason, Celes cannot blow up the royal palace. I don't know what that reason is, though.
Then, Novem spoke.
"It is because she is preserving parts of the remains. If she were to blow away the remains of Lord Meizel and Lady Claire, she would no longer be able to recreate them. She fears that."
As Novem spoke, Celes's expression distorted.
I lightly patted the two of them.
"Well done, you two. In other words, she doesn't want to fight in a way that would flamboyantly blow up the royal palace. Come to think of it, that's probably why she met us here."
Celes was someone who could launch magic that would blow away even a magic-resistant Audience Chamber. She likely feared blowing up the remains of her parents if she rampaged outside.
Looking at Celes, I said.
"You're quite fond of your parents. That's surprising. I felt like you didn't care about your family at all."
When I voiced my question, Celes's expression distorted further.
"Shut up! For a failure of a piece of scum like you... someone who inherited the power and memories so perfectly!"
I laughed at that.
"Well, whatever. I just wanted to buy some time for Shannon to strip everything about you bare. It seems Agrissa is inside the orb. From here on, I'm getting serious."
When I said that, everyone readied their weapons.
Celes descended from the ceiling and landed on the floor. Her speed would be invisible to an ordinary person. Yes, an ordinary person. Almost everyone here was not an ordinary person.
"Trash shouldn't talk so big—"
To provoke Celes, I said.
"I'm tired of hearing you talk. Just die for my sake. I'll make the absolute most of your death."
Celes became instantaneously enraged and charged at me. But I didn't ready anything and just waited for Celes—and Celes's rapier pierced my chest.
The moment it pierced, my illusion vanished.
As Celes crashed straight into the wall, I spoke from behind her.
"Not bad, right? It's a mental-type skill from the Third Head. It just shows illusions... but you're not all that."
Looking at the expressionless Celes, I couldn't say that I had activated it at the very last second.
On the surface, I looked composed, but it was quite a close call. My inner thoughts were being conveyed to everyone via the skill.
Shannon, while averting her gaze from me, said.
"...Yeah, it can't be helped. I'm doing my best just clinging to the golem."
Shannon was being considerate of me. It hit me in a subtle way.
Provoke and lure into a trap. It's a fighting style based on the premise that Celes is mentally weak. Most of all, she had only ever fought from a position of strength until now.
The Third Head had taught me that she was weak in these situations.
"From here on, I'm serious. I'm going to crush you for real. —Full Drive."
When I activated the third stage of the fourth generation's skill, the movements around me felt slow. In this state, unlike before, we all charged at Celes together.
Ludmila from the front, Glacia and Eliza from the sides.
Eva, who had jumped to the ceiling, readied her bow and aimed at Celes.
Then, semi-transparent yellow arms appeared from Celes's body.
It was likely information captured by Shannon's Magic Eye.
"I've seen this before! I saw it recently too, so there's no mistake!"
When Shannon said that, I remembered. It was a skill used by Alfredo, my senior disciple in swordsmanship. A skill that produces invisible hands from the body.
Miranda threw a dagger with a wire attached.
"You certainly have a variety of skills. But you can't use them simultaneously, can you?"
The manipulated dagger sliced through Celes's invisible arms one after another. Thanks to Shannon's Magic Eye, Miranda seemed to know exactly where to attack to unravel them.
Two people as one—it felt like I was seeing a glimpse of the old Mireia-san. No, they might have already surpassed her.
Celes parried Ludmila's slash, deflected Glacia with her staff, and then kicked Eliza. However, she was slow to respond to the arrow fired by Eva, and the arrow grazed her cheek.
As the three were blown back, the Porter swung its fist in a wide horizontal sweep. When she dodged that, Novem had already fired magic.
He was holding back slightly. Novem's emotions flowed into me. Celes was also of the Walt family bloodline, and he hesitated to use his full power.
Then, Miranda and Aria leaped in.
Miranda caught Celes's left arm with the wire. However, Celes swung her around with brute force, and Miranda almost crashed into the wall.
I stepped in to cover Miranda, and Aria's strike was blocked by Celes's rapier—no, it wasn't.
A red orb was glowing. Aria's strike, combining weapon hardening, power amplification, and increased speed, had generated an incredible amount of power.
"Take this!!!"
"You monster-strength woman!!!"
Celes was blown away. Aria's full-power strike had shattered the blade of Celes's rapier and sent her flying.
Celes, who stood up and began to move, was incredibly fast even though we were accelerated. But.
"Magic prep! P-probably fire!"
"Don't say 'probably'!"
Hearing Shannon's voice, I prepared an ice wall. Then, the magic Celes unleashed collided with it, and the ice wall vanished in an instant, turning into steam.
It seemed it wouldn't go as well as it did for Eliza. But it was enough. Celes's magic had been neutralized.
As Ludmila approached Celes, Celes, who had lost her blade, tried to block Ludmila's attack with her staff, and was slow to respond to the attacks from Glacia and Eliza from above.
Remembering that she had shown a particular lack of responsiveness to attacks from directly above before, I said.
"Has she not improved? Shannon!"
When I asked Shannon.
"It seems like the skill has a blind spot directly above... but I think it's just because it was those two that they could catch her off guard."
Due to the attacks of the two, Celes, whose clothes were in tatters, forced herself to move away from that spot and turned toward us.
I immediately prepared an illusion, and Celes launched an attack toward the illusion. The sight of her swinging her staff down onto the empty floor was pathetic.
And then, at that spot near the wall, to the surprised Celes—.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!!!"
Monica entered, blowing away the wall with a giant hammer. From that wall, the Valkyries also entered one after another.
I looked at Novem.
He still seemed to be hesitating. No, for Novem, who worshipped the Walt family bloodline, dealing with Celes was difficult.
As Celes was blown away by the hammer attack, everyone attacked her. Celes, who gradually lost her composure, was simply torn apart before the group.
However, when those blue eyes flashed sharply.
"She's coming again!"
When Shannon shouted, the Valkyries deployed their wing-like binders in front. We hid behind them.
And then, I dashed forward.
I dashed toward the weakened Celes, drew my katana and slashed at her. When Celes tried to block with her broken staff.
"It's the opposite of before."
"Tch! You piece of shit!!!"
When the defensive Celes was provoked, she dropped her guard in a way that was almost amusing. There, I swung my katana. The first slash was forcibly avoided by Celes. It was impressive that her body reacted even in such a state.
Just then, I slashed back and aimed a second strike at Celes.
"You haven't grown at all! Such a transparent—"
But at the stage where I slashed back, I already had a gun in my left hand. When I pulled the trigger, I aimed for Celes's head, but she must have forcibly moved her body, as the bullet embedded itself in her right shoulder.
And then, I.
"Shannon!"
Shannon fired the gun she was holding straight up. Celes immediately ignored it and tried to attack me. As my face was reflected in her expressionless eyes filled with murderous intent—.
Because Celes was leaning forward, the ricocheted bullet pierced Celes's chest.
"You should have at least worn some armor. You might have been able to block it with that."
Celes's eyes were filled with surprise. Surprised, and yet, even with her chest pierced, she planted her staff in the ground and refused to kneel.
"Get back!"
I was about to deliver the finishing blow, but Novem pulled me back in a hug because flames appeared around Celes.
Within the raging storm of flames, Celes staggered and stood up on her two legs, touching her chest.
The chest of her white dress was stained red.
The gun Shannon had, which was a memento of Mireia-san, had been turned into a magic tool by Old Man Ratata. Its power per shot was certainly significant.
Celes, looking at the blood flowing from her chest, said.
"Kuhi... kuhihihit!!"
Her mouth twisted into a crescent moon, and she laughed, blood flowing from the corners of her mouth.
Despite being flames produced by magic, Eliza couldn't extinguish them.
"What is this fire... this is way too strange."
Even when ice was fired, it evaporated in an instant. Yet, the intensity of the flames did not stop.
Glacia also said.
"I took pride in mine... but my flames are eclipsed by this."
Facing the flames surrounding Celes, Glacia was also breaking out in a cold sweat.
Novem said.
"Do not approach. This fire—cannot be extinguished easily."
I immediately switched to a gun and loaded a bullet to attack, but Celes was laughing as she looked at me.
"You guys are truly the worst... interrupting my fun time."
Looking at Celes, who was still energetic despite having her chest pierced, I muttered.
"You monster."
Then, Celes pointed at me while laughing.
"Idiot. You're the real monster, you piece of shit. I'm the one who sealed a monster piece of shit like you."
I didn't listen to Celes's words and aimed the gun and fired. However, the bullet didn't hit Celes.
Novem shook his head while looking at me.
"This is a special make. Special flames... well, they're for suicide. She actually wanted to blow away the entire surrounding area, but there was an interference."
Interference. Hearing that, I immediately guessed.
"Agrissa!"
Then, a voice was heard from nowhere.
Celes destroyed the hilt of her rapier, and Celes took out a yellow orb.
'Celes, it seems the promised time has come!'
It was the voice of a woman, sounding happy and laughing pleasantly. A seductive voice.
Celes, however, reluctantly said.
"I know. It's a promise, after all."
I reached out my hand. But if I spoke, she would only become more stubborn. Thinking that, I looked at Novem, who was next to me.
"Lady Celes, you must not be deceived by Agrissa. What Agrissa is after is your body—"
"I know. So what?"
Celes spoke to Novem matter-of-factly.
"I followed her instructions knowing full well. And in return, she gave me power. If it means I can beat the living daylights out of that piece of scum over there whom I hate so much, I don't care about my life. I hate it. It makes me sick just looking at a piece of scum like you."
Celes's hatred was genuine. Regardless of Agrissa, Celes hated me from the bottom of her heart.
"I hate everything. Humans are all equally worthless. Everyone except my parents is a useless existence, lower than trash. Since there were so many of you, I thought I'd have some fun crushing you with Agrissa. For that, my own life was a cheap price to pay."
Thinking it was the end, Celes poured out her frustrations.
"I haven't had nearly enough fun! I wanted to torture more people and see them suffer! I wanted to kill the people they cherish right before their eyes, and play by making those who hate me submit! There are still so many interesting ways to kill that I haven't tried! ...But, it's fine now. Because it's a promise."
"A promise? Weren't you just being deceived—"
When I said that, Celes laughed loudly. Looking at Celes laughing in the flames while spitting blood, she looked like a demonic existence laughing in hell.
"The price for having fun was my body! That's not all. By doing so, I was able to surpass you. I stole, I sealed, and I tormented. It was the best time of my life. There are things I left undone, but I don't have a shred of regret. In fact, why should I even bother acting frustrated in front of you? I feel so refreshed!"
Celes began to dance.
She didn't look like a human who was about to die. No, was she even human?
'You are all mistaken. I did indeed speak to Celes. Just as I did with my descendants who continued to seal me for generations. However, even I find my own descendants cute. I had no intention of forcing her.'
Agrissa's voice echoed through the Audience Chamber. I instructed everyone to step back.
'I presented Celes with the conditions I desired. I told her that if she were to be defeated, since her body would die anyway, she should hand it over to me. Then, my cute Celes—'
"Conditions like that weren't even a price to me. In fact, I wondered if that was really all it took. I thought maybe she was deceiving me."
'I struggled to clear up the misunderstanding back then. To think she considered her own life to be of such little value. Even I was surprised. That is precisely why I found Celes so cute. The time I spent with you was enjoyable, Celes.'
"Yes, I enjoyed it too. My only regret is that I wanted to play more. But maybe this is for the best. If you get too satisfied, you get bored. Ending while you still think it's fun might be the best way."
'As I thought, you are cute, Celes.'
The laughter of the two echoed.
I didn't think she would be still alive with her heart pierced. I thought I had failed, but then Agrissa laughed.
'My dear Lariel, you have a look on your face as if you're blaming yourself. But there is no need for that. Even if... Celes becomes scraps of meat, turns to ash, or vanishes, the contract has been executed. What you should have done was destroy me. Though, this orb cannot be destroyed by half-hearted efforts.'
Celes, while dancing, said.
"From now on, Agrissa will be resurrected and turn this world into hell. It's a shame I won't be able to see it, but it's not a problem. Because she'll do things far more interesting than I ever could!"
Celes's distorted smile was truly happy.
"What is with this woman..."
Aria held her spear, but she took a step back in fear. Eva also readied her arrow, but her hands were shaking. The others were the same.
Everyone was unable to keep up with the situation. No, it was worse than expected. Celes had no resistance to having her body stolen.
Celes laughed.
"All you did with all that desperate effort was summon an existence even greater than me. Truly pathetic. Well, fine. I'll admit defeat. You'll probably come to this side soon anyway, so let's play again then. I'll be waiting in hell."
Celes smiled and swallowed the orb whole.